Shaping safer maternity care for every family
An introduction from Anne Kavanagh
We’re at a pivotal moment for maternity care in the UK. Maternity services are the focus of sustained scrutiny, with ongoing investigations and national inquiries continuing to examine where care has fallen short, avoidable harm has occurred, and perhaps most importantly, what must change to ensure meaningful improvement.
Behind every statistic or case study are real people. Families whose experiences of pregnancy, birth, and postnatal care have shaped how they feel about the maternity system. It’s vital that we listen to their voices to get a deeper understanding of why care can go wrong – and the impact on mothers, partners, and their babies when it does.
Anne Kavanagh
PARTNER – MEDICAL NEGLIGENCE
T: 44 (0)808 120 9179 E: anne.kavanagh@irwinmitchell.com
Working together to make things better for everyone
We know how hard healthcare professionals work every day to provide high-quality maternity care – but we also see the profound impact on families when care falls short.
As the UK’s leading medical negligence lawyers*, we support families affected by maternity care failures, helping them get the answers and support they need to move forward.
Seeing these experiences first‑hand also drives our commitment to preventing avoidable harm. That’s why we deliver reports such as this one, working alongside families and healthcare providers to listen, learn, and help drive positive change.
We’ve also made six important recommendations that we believe would start to improve care immediately for families accessing maternity services and will be sharing these with the Department for Health and Social Care along with our report. Together, we can improve maternity care for families today and future generations tomorrow.
*Legal 500 and Chambers Ranking
About our report
We surveyed over 1,000 adults across England and Wales to find out how new and expectant parents really feel about maternity care.
This report examines key themes around maternity safety and offers insights into the lived experiences of new and expectant parents.
- Experiences and concerns around maternity care
- Mental health support during and after pregnancy
- Listening to parents’ voices
- Serious complications and their impact
- Raising concerns and making complaints
- Investigating maternity care issues
- Recommendations to support safer care.
By recognising the importance of listening to those who rely on safe, compassionate maternity care, we can begin to identify improvements.